Baseball Stadium Names:origins and changes

What's in a name? that which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet.~ William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

In the table below, names of stadiums of "brief" duration (in general, used four years or less) and "medium" duration (used for five to nine years) are specially shaded with reddish and pink colors, respectively. Further explanation is given after the end of this table.

Stadium name

Named after

When

Payment

Team

Previous name

Subsequent name

3-Com Stadium

Corporate sponsor

1995-2001

???

San Francisco Giants

Candlestick Park

Monster Park (2004-2008)

Ameriquest Field in Arlington

Corporate sponsor

2004-2006

$75 million, 10 years

Texas Rangers

The Ballpark in Arlington

Rangers Ballpark in Arlington

Anaheim Stadium

City

1966-1996

Los Angeles / California / Anaheim Angels

Edison International Field

Angel Stadium (of Anaheim)

Team (& City)

2004-

Los Angeles Angels (of Anaheim)

Edison International Field

Arlington Stadium

City

1965-1993

Texas Rangers

Astrodome

Team

1966-1999

Houston Astros

Harris County Domed Stadium

Atlanta (-Fulton County) Stadium

City

1975-1996

Atlanta Braves

Atlanta Stadium

AT&T Park

Corporate sponsor *

(2006-)

San Francisco Giants

SBC Park

Baker Bowl

Team owner: William Baker

1913-1938

Philadelphia Phillies

National League Park

Ballpark in Arlington

City

1994-2003

Texas Rangers

Ameriquest Field in Arlington

Bank One Ballpark

Corporate sponsor

1998-2005

$100 (or $66?) million, 30 years

Arizona Diamondbacks

Chase Field

Beehive

Team

1936-1941

Boston Bees (Braves)

Braves Field

Braves Field

Braves Field

Team

1915-1935, 1942-1952

Boston Braves

Beehive

Briggs Stadium

Team

1938-1960

Detroit Tigers

Navin Field

Tiger Stadium

Brush Stadium

Team owner: John T. Brush

1911

New York Giants

Polo Grounds

Busch Stadium I

Corporate owner

1954-1966

St. Louis Cardinals

Sportsman's Park

Busch Stadium II

Corporate owner

1966-2005

St. Louis Cardinals

Busch Stadium III

Corporate sponsor

2006-

20 years, $?

St. Louis Cardinals

Candlestick Park

Location

1960-1994, 2009-2015

San Francisco Giants

3-Com Stadium

Chase Field

Corporate sponsor (buyout)

2005-

$100 million, 30 years

Arizona Diamondbacks

Bank One Ballpark

.

Cinergy Field

Corporate sponsor

1997-2002

???

Cincinnati Reds

Riverfront Stadium

Citi Field

Corporate sponsor

2009-

$400 million, 20 years

New York Mets

Citizens Bank Park

Corporate sponsor

2004-

$95 million, 25 years

Philadelphia Phillies

Cleveland (Municipal) Stadium

City

1930s-1993

Cleveland Indians

Lakefront Stadium

Colt Stadium

Team

1962-1964

Houston Colt 45s

Comerica Park

Corporate sponsor

1999-

$66 million, 30 years

Detroit Tigers

Comiskey Park (I)

Team owner: Charles Comiskey

1910-1989

Chicago White Sox

White Sox Park (1962-1975)

Comiskey Park (II)

The old stadium

1990-2002

Chicago White Sox

U.S. Cellular Field

Connie Mack Stadium

Team owner: Cornelius MacGillacuddy

1953-1970

Philadelphia Phillies

Shibe Park

Coors Field

Corporate sponsor / co-owner

1995-

$15 million, indefinite period

Colorado Rockies

Crosley Field

Team owner: Powell Crosley

1934-1970

Cincinnati Reds

Redland Field

Cubs Park

Team

1916-1925

Chicago Cubs

Weeghman Park

Wrigley Field

District of Columbia (D.C.) Stadium

City (District)

1961-1968

Washington Senators

RFK Stadium

Dodger Stadium

Team

1962-

Los Angeles Dodgers

Dolphin(s) Stadium

Team (football)

2005-2008

Florida Marlins

Pro Player Stadium

Land Shark Stadium

Dunn Park

Team owner: James Dunn

1916-1927

Cleveland Indians

League Park

League Park

Ebbets Field

Team owner: Charlie Ebbets

1913-1957

Brooklyn Dodgers

Edison International Field

Corporate sponsor

1997-2003

$50 million, 30 years**

Anaheim Angels

Anaheim Stadium

Angel Stadium of Anaheim

Enron Field

Corporate sponsor

2000-2001

$100 million+, 30 years**

Houston Astros

** Astros paid $2 million to cancel.

Minute Maid Park

Exhibition Stadium

1959-1989

Toronto Blue Jays

Fenway Park

Location

1965-1993

Boston Red Sox

Forbes Field

Gen. John Forbes (1710-1759)

1909-1970

Pittsburgh Pirates

Globe Life Park (in Arlington)

Corporate sponsor

2014-2023

Texas Rangers

Rangers Park in Arlington

Griffith Stadium

Team owner: Clark Griffith

1920-1961

Washington Senators

League Park

Great American Ballpark

Corporate sponsor

2003-

$75 million

Cincinnati Reds

(Hubert H. Humphrey) Metrodome

U.S. senator, vice president

1982-

Minnesota Twins

Mall of America Field at H.H.H. Metrodome (Oct. 2009-)

Jack Murphy Stadium

Sports writer / promoter

1981-1996

San Diego Padres

San Diego Stadium

QualCommm Stadium

Jacobs Field

Team owner: Eli Jacobs

1994-2007

Cleveland Indians

Progressive Field

Jarry Park

1969-

Montreal Expos

Kauffman Stadium

Team owner: Ewing Kauffman

1994-

Kansas City Royals

Royals Stadium

Kingdome

(King) County

1977-1999

Seattle Mariners

Landshark Stadium

Beer brand

2009

Florida Marlins

Dolphin Stadium

Sun Life Stadium

Lakefront Stadium

Location

1930s

Cleveland Indians

Cleveland (Municipal) Stadium

League Park

League

1910-1915, 1928-1946

Cleveland Indians

Dunn Park (1916-1927)

League Park

League

1911-1919

Washington Senators

Griffith Stadium

Marlins Park

Team

2012-

Miami Marlins

McAfee Coliseum *

Corporate sponsor

(2005-2008)

Oakland Athletics

Network Associates Coliseum

Oakland (-Alameda County) Coliseum

(Los Angeles) Memorial Coliseum

(City) #

1923-

Los Angeles Dodgers

Memorial Stadium

1950-1991

Baltimore Orioles

Metropolitan Stadium

1961-1981

Minnesota Twins

Mile High Stadium

Altitude

1968-2001 #

Colorado Rockies

Bears Stadium

Miller Park

Corporate sponsor

2001-2020

$40 million

Milwaukee Brewers

(Milwaukee) County Stadium

County

1953-2000

Milwaukee Brewers

Minute Maid Park

Corporate sponsor

2002-

$170m, 28 years

Houston Astros

Enron Field

(Kansas City) Municipal Stadium

City

1955-1972

Kansas City Athletics & Royals

National League Park

League

1895-1912

Philadelphia Phillies

Baker Bowl

Nationals Park

Team

2008-

Washington Nationals

up for grabs

Navin Field

Team owner

1912-1937

Detroit Tigers

Briggs Stadium

Network Associates Coliseum

Corporate sponsor

1998-2004

$13.2m, 10 years

Oakland Athletics

Oakland (-Alameda County) Coliseum

McAfee Coliseum *

Oakland (-Alameda County) Coliseum

City

1966-1996, 2008-2010, 2016-

Oakland Athletics

Network Associates Coliseum, etc.

Olympic Stadium

1976-

Montreal Expos

Oriole Park at Camden Yards

Team, location

1992-

Baltimore Orioles

Overstock.com (o.co) Coliseum

Corporate sponsor

2011-2015 (dispute)

$7.2m, 6 years (opted out)

Oakland Athletics

Oakland (-Alameda County)

QualComm Stadium

Corporate sponsor

1997- #

???

San Diego Padres

Jack Murphy Stadium

Pac (Pacific) Bell Park

Corporate sponsor *

2000-2003

$50m, 24 years

San Francisco Giants

SBC Park

PETCO Park

Corporate sponsor

2004-

$?, 22 years

San Diego Padres

PNC Park

Corporate sponsor

2001-

???

Pittsburgh Pirates

Polo Grounds

Prior stadium

1911-1963

New York Giants, Yankees, & Mets

Brush Stadium (1911)

Progressive Field

Corporate sponsor

2008-

$58 million

Cleveland Indians

Jacobs Field

Pro Player (Park) Stadium

Corporate sponsor

1996-2004

???

Florida Marlins

Joe Robbie Stadium

Dolphins Stadium

Rangers Ballpark in Arlington

Team & city

2007-2013

Texas Rangers

Ameriquest Field in Arlington

Globe Life Park in Arlington

Redland Field

Team

1912-1933

Cincinnati Reds

Crosley Field

Riverfront Stadium

Location

1970-1996

Cincinnati Reds

Cinergy Field

RFK (Robert F. Kennedy Memorial) Stadium

U.S. Senator

1969- #

Washington Senators & Nationals

D.C. Stadium

Rogers Centre

Corporate owner

2005-

Toronto Blue Jays

Skydome

Safeco Field

Corporate sponsor

1999-

???

Seattle Mariners

San Diego Stadium

City

1967-1980

San Diego Padres

Jack Murphy Stadium

SBC Park

Corporate sponsor *

(2004-2005)

San Francisco Giants

Pac Bell Park

Seals Stadium

Minor league team

1931-1959

San Francisco Giants

Shea Stadium

Promoter William Shea

1964-2008

New York Mets

Shibe Park

Team owner: Benjamin Shibe

1909-1952

Philadelphia Athletics & Phillies

Connie Mack Stadium

Sick's Stadium

Minor league team owner: Emil Sick

1938-1969

Seattle Pilots

Skydome

1989-2004

Toronto Blue Jays

Rogers Centre

Sportsman's Park

1910-1952

St. Louis Browns & Cardinals

Busch Stadium I

Sun Life Stadium

Finance company

2010-2015

$37.5 million, 5 years

Florida Marlins

Landshark Stadium

Hard Rock Stadium

Target Field

Corporate sponsor

2010-

$125 million, 25 years

Minnesota Twins

Three Rivers Stadium

Location

1970-2000

Pittsburgh Pirates

Tiger Stadium

Team

1960-1999

Detroit Tigers

Briggs Stadium

Tropicana Field

Corporate sponsor

1998-

???

Tampa Bay Devil Rays

Florida Suncoast Dome

Turner Field

Team owner: Ted Turner

1997-2016

Atlanta Braves

Olympic Stadium (1976)

U.S. Cellular Field

Corporate sponsor

2003-2016

$68 million

Chicago White Sox

Comiskey Park II

Guaranteed Rate Field

Veterans Stadium

1971-2003

Philadelphia Phillies

White Sox Park

Team

1962-1975

Chicago White Sox

Comiskey Park (1910-1961)

Comiskey Park (1976-1989)

Wrigley Field

Team owner: William Wrigley

1926-

Chicago Cubs

Cubs Park

Wrigley Field (L.A.)

Team owner: William Wrigley

1925-1961

Los Angeles Angels

Yankee Stadium (I)

Team

1923-2008

New York Yankees

Yankee Stadium (II)

Team

2009-

New York Yankees

DURATION SUBGROUPS:

"BRIEF": name used four years or less.

"MEDIUM": name used only five to nine years.

NOTE: Stadium names are listed in the left-hand column only if they were used when a major league team played there. Minor variations are shown in parentheses, not listed separatedly. As long as a given recently-built stadium name has been used since the first year that a baseball team played there, it is not considered "medium" unless there is a possibility of a future sponsored name. In cases of contract disputes (such as "o.co Coliseum" in Oakland), the "brief" classification is used. If the name never even went into effect because of such a dispute, it is not listed. The previous judgmental classification on this page of names as either 1) widely accepted, 2) "suspect," or 3) "bogus" (taking into account the reputation of the sponsoring corporation, etc.) has been discontinued.
* (asterisk): Corporation name change, via buyout; same sponsoring entity.
underlined: Current name of MLB stadium currently in use.
# : Stadium in use in other sports after MLB team left.

NOTES: Subtotals may not add up to the totals because some stadiums do not fit any of the categories shown above. (Subject to revision.)

Background explanation

Nearly all new stadiums nowadays are named after whatever corporation bids the highest price for the naming rights, whether or not there is a strong connection to the city. It wasn't always that way, however, and in fact, it was not until the 1990s that baseball stadium naming rights became a routine practice. Information on this page is subject to revision, just as the stadium names themselves are!

The adjacent summary table gives us a clearer picture of long-term trends in stadium naming. The categories in it correspond to those in the Stadiums by class page; they are for the most part chronologically ordered. In terms of corporate name sponsorship, the leading business sector has been Financial services (with 7 named stadiums), followed by Computer / telecommunications (3), Energy / electric utilities (3), and Citrus juice (2). Busch Stadium was the first stadium named after a corporation, but Anheuser-Busch was a tightly controlled family enterprise. (Since it owned the team, it is not considered a "corporate sponsor.") Of the 68 Major League baseball stadiums covered in this Web site (including the three now under construction), 38 retained the same name throughout their MLB lifetime.

A couple years ago the Washington Post cited a study conducted by financial adviser Geoffrey Hargadon of the 45 publicly traded companies that have paid to have their names attached to baseball and football stadiums, as well as sporting arenas used for basketball and hockey. For example, Enron, MCI, and Adelphia (all bankrupt), plus 3Com and QualComm. If you were to have invested your portfolio in that group of companies five years ago, you would have lost an average of 11 percent per year, compared to the Standard and Poor Index of 500 companies, which gained an average of 1/2 percent per year during that period. Real smart!